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How much does a fairing help?
- Thread starter r65_steve
- Start date
lee
Debbie's Servant
We had some type of cold weather tights under our jeans.
All 3 of my bikes have full fairings.
I wouldn't personally even consider going very far without a fairing and large windshield.
I think it is a good safety feature too, deflecting rocks, birds etc.
A friend has a Aprilla SL 1000 without a fairing and I ride that once in a while, the wind blast is just too much for me.
But that's just my preference.
Nick
I wouldn't personally even consider going very far without a fairing and large windshield.
I think it is a good safety feature too, deflecting rocks, birds etc.
A friend has a Aprilla SL 1000 without a fairing and I ride that once in a while, the wind blast is just too much for me.
But that's just my preference.
Nick
Last edited:
The R1150 I was riding Sunday has a little "flyscreen" attached. Since I was home and not on this adventure, on Monday I took out my new-to-me R100 for some miles in the weather I dressed for Sunday (see how that works?). The R100 has NO fairing, nothing, guages out in the wind and all. I was on a backroads cruise and then rolled it up to 70 on a pin straight road. The difference between the little flyscreen and nothing at all was quite apparent. Now, maybe some of it it bike design and shape, but I definitely noticed this difference.
lkchris
Active member
braddog
Minnesota Nice!
I agree that a fairing is much different than just a windscreen or windshield. My R100RS was the first motorcycle that I had ever ridden that has a full fairing. A full fairing provides a decent amount of wind and weather protection. A windshield can be functional, but also a PITA. I had a windscreen on a Honda Shadow that, while saving bugs from hitting my face shield at times, it also caused a quite a bit of wind/helmet buffeting, which isn't pleasant. It was rigid mounted, not really adjustable, so I either had to live with it, or take it off. Instead, I sold the motorcycle.
I don't wear heated gear mostly because my personal riding habits really don't require it. When I ride any distance, it's usually in fair weather. I do have a decent Belstaff Mercury riding jacket, a decent pair of riding pants, and rain pants that I keep in my bags. I've never found myself too wet or too cold. My riding pants have a liner, as does the jacket. So, pretty easy to adjust layers as necessary. I've ridden in fairly steady rain, rain and wind, and I think the coldest I ever rode while it was raining was like 43 degrees. I believe that particular day or days, my trip was around 35 or 40 miles, and my biggest fear was that it would cool down and freeze. I also stayed dry and warm.
I think the gear you buy and wear as well as how you outfit wind/weather protection on your motorcycle is very dependent on your riding habits. There are a lot of years of experience on this forum, so have fun sifting through it all!
I don't wear heated gear mostly because my personal riding habits really don't require it. When I ride any distance, it's usually in fair weather. I do have a decent Belstaff Mercury riding jacket, a decent pair of riding pants, and rain pants that I keep in my bags. I've never found myself too wet or too cold. My riding pants have a liner, as does the jacket. So, pretty easy to adjust layers as necessary. I've ridden in fairly steady rain, rain and wind, and I think the coldest I ever rode while it was raining was like 43 degrees. I believe that particular day or days, my trip was around 35 or 40 miles, and my biggest fear was that it would cool down and freeze. I also stayed dry and warm.
I think the gear you buy and wear as well as how you outfit wind/weather protection on your motorcycle is very dependent on your riding habits. There are a lot of years of experience on this forum, so have fun sifting through it all!
Fairings are good, and windshields are also good. I rode an ’96 R1100R with a Parabellum windshield for 10 years taking a lot of trips. The windshield worked great, but could not be adjusted. However, without a fairing the windshield only blocked the top half from most of the wind, rain, cold, and most of the insects, etc.
Although I loved that bike, in ‘06, I traded it in for an ’06 RT. I wanted the additional protection a fairing could give, and I have to admit that I love the adjustable windshield. I’ve got an ’18 RT now, but still wear a heated vest in winter. As an aside I have a friend that was an HPD motorcycle peace officer (Harley nan) who jokingly called me a wussy for wearing a heated vest on a long-distance trip back in the 90s. Because we were friends, I told him I would rather be a warm wussy than a cold He-man. (Although we were joking, I still think he got a little upset for a few hours.) I guess my point is that I wear a heated vest sometimes when it gets cold even though I have a heated seat and heated grips, and a two-piece Aerostich suit. The cold bothers me. On the other hand, I can ride in the Texas summer heat without a problem.
Go with what makes you comfortable. Everyone is different.
Be careful out there.
E.
Although I loved that bike, in ‘06, I traded it in for an ’06 RT. I wanted the additional protection a fairing could give, and I have to admit that I love the adjustable windshield. I’ve got an ’18 RT now, but still wear a heated vest in winter. As an aside I have a friend that was an HPD motorcycle peace officer (Harley nan) who jokingly called me a wussy for wearing a heated vest on a long-distance trip back in the 90s. Because we were friends, I told him I would rather be a warm wussy than a cold He-man. (Although we were joking, I still think he got a little upset for a few hours.) I guess my point is that I wear a heated vest sometimes when it gets cold even though I have a heated seat and heated grips, and a two-piece Aerostich suit. The cold bothers me. On the other hand, I can ride in the Texas summer heat without a problem.
Go with what makes you comfortable. Everyone is different.
Be careful out there.
E.
22600
rsbeemer
It helps a lot depending on your riding habits
HI Steve, IF you do much riding at speed I would suggest you get a bike with a full faring. I used to have a r1100 here in Taiwan (back before they were legal, long story) and rode naked (the bike that is) , which was fine here. Because of road conditions and mountains I never rode at any speed like I would in the USA , so it was fine without a faring. In the States, I've put a thousand miles a day on my rs and without that faring it would have been impossible...for me to do. I rode an r90s for a few years in the States and that was a good faring but didn't block wind off your legs. Since I live in Texas half the time, I sometimes take the lowers off the rs in the summer time to get rid of the heat. I think any type faring would be better than no faring at all; maybe a windshield with wings for lowers would work too. Bikes with a good full faring that worked for me for highway have been the 1978, 1980 r100rs and a 2006 r1150rs. If you do a lot of mountain riding I would suggest a r90s or k75s as both are agile, have a pretty good upper faring. I've had both and loved them for that purpose.
To give an example: Back in the 80's I was on my r100rs between Yellowstone and Red Lodge Mt., lots of curvy winding roads. I was going at a pretty good clip and looked behind me and saw a bike coming up fast. Well naturally I sped up a little (why do we do that?) and was doing all I could to keep this highway machine on the road. Well in a minute or two the bike smoothly passed me; (it was an r90s) the young guy on the front gave me a little nod and the little girl on the back calmly waved her tootsie roll pop at me.
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HI Steve, IF you do much riding at speed I would suggest you get a bike with a full faring. I used to have a r1100 here in Taiwan (back before they were legal, long story) and rode naked (the bike that is) , which was fine here. Because of road conditions and mountains I never rode at any speed like I would in the USA , so it was fine without a faring. In the States, I've put a thousand miles a day on my rs and without that faring it would have been impossible...for me to do. I rode an r90s for a few years in the States and that was a good faring but didn't block wind off your legs. Since I live in Texas half the time, I sometimes take the lowers off the rs in the summer time to get rid of the heat. I think any type faring would be better than no faring at all; maybe a windshield with wings for lowers would work too. Bikes with a good full faring that worked for me for highway have been the 1978, 1980 r100rs and a 2006 r1150rs. If you do a lot of mountain riding I would suggest a r90s or k75s as both are agile, have a pretty good upper faring. I've had both and loved them for that purpose.
To give an example: Back in the 80's I was on my r100rs between Yellowstone and Red Lodge Mt., lots of curvy winding roads. I was going at a pretty good clip and looked behind me and saw a bike coming up fast. Well naturally I sped up a little (why do we do that?) and was doing all I could to keep this highway machine on the road. Well in a minute or two the bike smoothly passed me; (it was an r90s) the young guy on the front gave me a little nod and the little girl on the back calmly waved her tootsie roll pop at me.
22600
rsbeemer
Not a good time to be here..off subject also
I bet they wish they were back home; it's getting hotter than hell now and the covid has gone wild. Schools are now closed and most eating places also. We were doing good until a commercial airline pilot came in and decided it was ok for him to go out and mingle than quarantine like he should have. Of course he had it and spread it.
I bet they wish they were back home; it's getting hotter than hell now and the covid has gone wild. Schools are now closed and most eating places also. We were doing good until a commercial airline pilot came in and decided it was ok for him to go out and mingle than quarantine like he should have. Of course he had it and spread it.
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